Mining system and apparatus



E. C. MORGAN MINING SYSTEM AND`APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 11. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 27, 1928.

NER

Nov. 27, 1928. 1,693,040

E. c. MORGAN 4'Mf-IIIG' SYSTEM AND APPARATUS- Origggl Filed' Aug. 11. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Imaz/hmm Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

UNI-'rien STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDEIU'ND C. MORGAN, DECEASED, LATE OF YORK, Y., BY OLIVE EGENLE y MORGAN, EXECUTRX, OF NEVI YRK., N. Y.

MINING SYSTEM .AND APPARATUS.

Original application filed August 11, 1921, Serial No. 491,474. Divided and this application Ierl August 110, 1925 This invention relates to a system and apparatus for mining material, and is particularly adapted for the mining of coal. The present application is a division ot the co- .pending application ofEdmund C. Morgan, Serial No. 491,474, filed August. ll, 1921, Jfor an improvement in loading` and conveying apparatus Jfor coal mines.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision ot' improved apparatus for facilitating the mining of material, particularly coal in a mine.

A further object et the invention is the provision of improved apparatus for facilitatingthe mining' ot material and cont-rolling the subsidence of the roof in the mine chamber after the mining operations have 'been completed.

Another object of the invention is the provision ot improved rootsupporting` mechanismr for controlling` the subsidence ot the root in a mine chamber after a coal vein has been mined.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means `by which the root of a mine is supported as the mining proceeds, and by which the subsidence of the root is eii'eeted along predetermined lines and in a predetermined sequence.

Another object of the invent-ion is the provision of a large numb-er oit independently movable roof propping` devices each provided with a base of suflicient area t-o distribute the pressure on the mine iioor over a. wide area, each propping` device being individually movable to an advanced root propping' position in co-operation with other roer propping devices.

A further object is the provision ci' an improved rooi jack particularly adapted for `use as such root' propping;` devices.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means for carrying out a retreating` method et mining` in which entries are driven horizontally in opposite directions from aA mine entry and then removing by retreating operations the pillars between lateral or butt entries, and leaving the root' Serial No. 49,465.

free to subside while controlling the subsidence of the roof se that continuous miningand loading operations will not be interfered With.

Another object is the provision et means for carrying' out a method of mining` comprising the driving of lateral or butt entries from the main entry at one side oi' the latter While the retreating system oi' mining` is carried on at the pillars between the butt entries on the other side of the main entry. thereby lessening the amount yof apparatus being used at any one time for carrying on the mining` operations.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations beinf; set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates the improved mining system and the improved method of mining' by the use of a ser-ies of independent-ly movable root jacks; l

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. l on the line 2 2 looking` inthe direct-ionfo the arrows;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view oi roof supportingmechanism tor controlling` the subsidence of the roof in the system and method illustrated in Fig. l i

4 is a sectional side elevation of the root jack shown in Fig. 8; and l 5 `is a sectional detail view of a part of the structure shown in Figs. 3 land 4.

An expensive feature of coal mining, and one which is becoming more and more costly each year, is the timhering` of the mine to support the earth above the Vmine vein in such a way as to permit the removal of a maximum ame-unt of coal without endangering' the lives et the operators. In the present invention means is provided to remove coal rapidly from the portion of the mine being worked so that the mining operation can be concentrated, thus avoiding the `necessity for supporting; a great expense ofk mine roof in order that the out-put of a mine may reach the desired quantity during a given period. When provision is made for rapid. 'operation betpositions in the mine chamber.

ter constructed mine props can be used than Where it is necessary to keep open extensive chambers for long periods of time. l/Vhere the present invention is used the Work moves rapidly from one portion of the vein to anotherand the mine props are shifted as the work progresses so that a comparatively small number of props will do the same amount of work as a very much greater number docs under the old method of mining, thus making it possible to use props of better construction and so redu-ce both the danger and expense of operation. Another advantage of the rapid method of mining` is that the coal is removed from a given portion of a mine chamber and the entire apparatus moved from that portion before the earth above the mine has had time to settle suliiciently to bring the maximum pressure on the roof above the chamber where the work is going on. In a great many mines, moreover, the floor and the roof of the mine 'are quite hard when the chamber is first opened but becomes soft and muddy after the chamber has been left open for some time, thus making the operation more difficult and dangerous and destroying the effectiveness of the mine props. Vshere mining is conducted according to the present invention the operation is completed and the apparatus moved on to another location before this softening of the roof and the floor takes place. Thus the mechanism constituting the present invention which provides for rapid concentrated operation removes many of the difficulties and dangers heretofore incident to coal mining. Another advantage of the present mechanism is that it makes possible the removal of coal from very thin veins, as will be apparent from the description of the mechanism.

In Fig. 1, is illustrated a system of mining in which conveyors may be extended or shortened by the addition or detachment of conveyor units. As the central main entry is driven outwardly from the vertical shaft of the mine, additional conveyor units may be connected up from time to time as required and in each instance the belts connected so that they form one continuous conveyor driven by a single motor with the power to the conveyor belts distributed along the various units so that they may occupy relatively low The lateral or butt entries 6 and 7 may also be provided with a series of conveyor units connected end to end to form a single flexible extended conveyor for receiving' dislodged material from themining and loading machines illustrated at 8 and 9 in Fig. 1. It can readily be seen that as these mining machines continue to lengthen the butt entries, the conveyors 10 and 11 may continuously be lengthened in accordance with the mining operation. lVhen the conveyors 10 and 11 are operated, they deliver material from the mining and loading Leeaoeo machines to the'central conveyor 12 which', in turn, delivers the material to the mine cars for movement up the vertical shaft 13.

ln a similar manner the conveyors 14 and 15 in the entries 16 and 17 deliver material to the conveyor 12, and in the. entries 18 and 19, the conveyors 2O and 21 deliver material to the conveyor 12. After the main entries andV the butt entries have been driven tol the desired extent the retreating system of mining is carried out by removing the coal from the pillars by means of the mining and loading machines 22 and 23 which deliver the material to the xtensible conveyors 2O and 21, respectively. l

In 1 is .shown by the dotted rectangles 26 the location of the various pillars which have been removed, while the irregular contours 27 represent the subsided roof. ln order to properly support the roof adjacent the places where the mining operations are being carried on, the*roof-supporting mechanism shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 is located'back of the pillars which are being mined, the locations of these roof-supporting devices being indicated by the small squares 28 in Fig. l. These roof-supporting devices may be. in staggered relation, particularly after the roof has subsided. Before subsidence, however, it may be preferred to place them in closer relation as shown at 29 and 30 to secure the breaking of the roof along definite lines. For instance, in Fig. 1, it is desired that the next subsidence of the roof shall be as indicated at 31 and 32.

The roof supporting device which is particularly adapted for use in the system illustrated in 1 is shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. An elongated base support 33, til-shaped in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 4 is adapted to rest on the floor of the mine chamber. other U-shaped plate 34 may be provided to support the bearing 35 of the roof-j ack mechanism. This bearing is secured to the shoe and is adapted to receive the ball-shaped lower end 36 of the screw-threaded post or standard 37. rlhe lower end of the standard 37 is provided with the transverse opening 38 to receive the bearing pin 39 which is mounted in the bearing` block 35. Transverse abutment pins or bars 40 and 41 maybe placed in any one of the various ropenings 42 or 43 between the vertical plates of the support 34 to limit the swinging movement of the roof jack on the pivot pin 39 to various angular positions.

Threaded on the standard 37 is a nut 44 which is provided with spaced-apart opcnings or recesses 45, to receive a turning tool for operating the roof gack. Mounted on top of the mit 44. by means of the ball bearings 46 is a cylindrical shell or casing 47 which encloses the upper sc ew-threaded portion 43V upper end of the casing 48 and having a piY- otal connection at 50 to a shoe 5l, which is adapted to engage the roof of the mine chamber. The pivots 50 and 39 may be in various angular relations according to the slope of the floor and roof respectively, because the casing 47 may berreadily turned on the ball bearings 46 relatively to the standard 37. The ball bearings 46 also facilitate turning of the nut 44 after the floor piece Q3 and the roof shoe 51 are anchored in position against the floor and roof respectively.

In order to maintain the casing 47 in proper relation to the nut 44 and prevent the casing 47 from removal from the screw-threaded standard 37, the ring collar retainer 52 is secured at 53 to the nut 44 and provided with an inwardly extending ring 54 fitting over the ring 55 which is secured to the shell 47. It will thus be seen that the shell or casing 47 will be held in predetermined relation to the nut 44 while the ball bearings 46 permit the free rotation of the nut 44 to give the shell or casing 47 a rectilinear movement up or down. It should also be noted that the retainer 52 also protects the lower bearing from the accumulation of dust in the mine.

As shown in Fig. 3, the eyes 56 and 57 may be secured to the ends of the base plate 33 so that the entire roof may be hauled from place to place in the mine so as to adjust its location as illustrated in Fig. '1. Movement of the roof jacks may be effected in various ways after the pressure has been released therefrom by lowering the casing 47 on the standard 37 and the standard 37 permitted to rest against one of the abutments 40 or 41. A rope or cable may be attached to the plate 33 by means of the eyes 56 and 57 and movement may be effected by pulling upon the rope manually or by employing the pulling mechanism disclosed in the United States Letters Patent, Ser. No. 1,450,609, issued to Edmund C. Morgan, April 3, 1923.

The outsidevertical faces of the shoe 33 are in vertical parallel planes to facilitate sliding engagen'ient with similar' shoes of adjacent roof props; the abutment 40 or 4l in its adjusted position vholds the standard 37 and the parts thereon in an angular position so that the shoe 5l will clear the roof but when anchoring in a new position is to be Y effected the roof jack may be quickly brought to roof and floor engaging' position.

After the main entries and the butt entries have been driven as illustrated in Fig. l, partitions may be placed as illustrated at 58 so as to permit the two main side entries 59 and 60 to be used for direction of ventilation, as indicated by the arrows 6l. As illustrated, the ventilation may be directed toward theplaces where mining operations are proceeding, the return being along the central main entry and thence up the vertical shaft 13 to the outer atmosphere.

Obviously, those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of partswithoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and it is vdesired therefore not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus fully described and illustrated an embodiment of the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. In a mine jack, a pivoted roof supporting shoe, a pivoted floor shoe, and adjustable spacing means between said shoes comprising a threaded standard, spaced and upstanding parallel faces on the floor shoe between which said standard is pivoted, and adjustable stops bridging the space between said faces on opposite sides of said standard for limiting the pivotal movement of the standard, said stops comprising pins, and a series of openings in said spaced faces at different distances from the pivotal mounting for the standard for the reception of the ends-ofsaid pins.

2. In a mine jack, a floor shoe having spaced and upstanding parallel faces, al bearing block between said faces, a standard pivoted thereto, and means for limiting the pivotal movement of said standard comprising adjustable stops on said spaced faces on opposite sides of the bearing for said standard.

3. In a min-e jack, a floor shoe having spaced and upstanding parallel faces, a bearing block between said faces, a standard pivoted thereto, and means for limiting the pivotal movement of said standard comprising adjustable stops bridging the space between said faces on opposite sides of the bearing for said standard.

4. In a mine jack, a floor shoe comprising upstanding and parallel spaced faces, a bearing block between said faces, a standard having a ball like bearing end pivoted on said block, and means limiting the pivotal movement of the standard in said block, comprising adjustable stops on the shoe disposed on opposite sides of said standard.

5. In a mine jack, an elongated U-shaped outer plate providing a floor shoe, an inner U- shaped plate fitting therein, a bearing block in said inner plate, a standard having a balllike bearing end pivoted .in said bearing block, and adjustable stops on said outer U- shaped plate for limiting the pivoted movement of said standard.

6. In a mine jack, an elongated U-sliaped outer plate providing a floor shoe, an inner U- shaped plate fitting therein, a bearing block in said inner plate, a standard having a. balllike bearing end pivoted in said bearing block, and adjustable stops on said outer U- shaped plate for limiting` the pivoted` movement of said standard, comprising pins positioned across the outer U-shaped plate on opposite sides of said. standard and. a series ol openings in the outer plate in which said pins may be selectively inserted for adj meting them relatively of the standard.

Y. In a mine jack, a floor Shoe, a roof Supporting shoe, and extension means between said shoes, comprising a sleeve, a bearing on the end of said sleeve in which said roof- Supportng shoe is pvoted, a threaded standard extending into said sleeve andto Which 10 said floor shoe is mounted, a nut on said standard for adjusting the elevation of Said roofsupportng shoe, a ball having assembly between said nut and the end of said sleeve, and a ring secured to Said nut having a radial ange embracing` the ball bearing assembly for holding the same to the nut and protecting the balls thereof.

.oLWE EUGENIE MORGAN, Eecutm'x of Ednwml' O'. Morgan, Deceased. 

